Gas-envelop for airships.



J. o. SOHLEIGHER. GAS ENVELOP FOR AIRSHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1910. 991,459.

Patented May 2, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

,4 TTORNEVJ J. G. SUHLEIUHER.

GAS BNVELOP FOR AIRSHIPS.

nrmonxou FILED In. as, 1910.

991,459, Patented May 2,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEEi 2.

WITNESSES.-

JOHN C. SCHLEICHER, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

GAS-ENVELOP FOR AIRSHIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed March 26. 1910. Serial No. 551,625.

To all whom it may concern: 9

Be it known that I, JOHN G. SoHLEIoHER,

a citizen of the United States. residin at Mount Vernon. in the county of Vestchester and State of New York, have invented cer- I tain new and useful Improvements in Gas- Envelops for Airships, of which the following is a specification.

y invention relates to improvements in gas envelops for airships.

It has for its object to provide an envelop of the character and for the purpose above set forth, having means adapted to brace and thereby give stability to the envelop when it is inflated and afloat and adapt it, by its act of descending, whether in a partially or wholly deflated condition, to be converted into a parachute, thereby preventing it, under all conditions, when afloat, from entirely collapsing and preventing it from descending too rapidly.

It has for a. further object to provide means adapted to be operated manually and automatically to allow gas to escape from the envelop, the automatic operation of said means being effected by the expansion of the envelop and takes place when the envelop has expanded to a predetermined degree, which is absolutely safe, thereby preventing strain on the envelop from over inflation thereof.

It has for a further object to provide means adapted to positively limit the degree of expansion of the envelo thereby pre venting over expansion thereof.

It has for a still further object to so construct a gas envelop of the character above set forth. that it can. when entirely deflated,

be rolled or folded into compact form, thereby rendering it easily transportable.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view, partly broken away, of my gas envelop. Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. of my gas envelop. Fig. 3, a similar view to Fig. 2, on the same scale. but showing the gas envelop in the condition it assumes when converted into a parachute. Fig. 4, a fragmentary detail sectional view. on an enlarged scale. showing the means for connecting the bracing strips together and to the gas envelop. Fig. 5, a fragmentary side which controls the escape'of gas from the gas envelop and the means for automatically and manually operating it. Fig. 6, a front view of the means shown by Fig. 5, and on the same scale.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts. the envelop, which is made of suitable material through which gas will not pass. consists of upper and lower concavo-convex sections 1 and 2 respectively, having their edges secured togetl'ier by a line of stitches 3. In fully inflated condition and afloat this envelop presents a form of substantial cigar shape, although less round in transverse cross-section and having one end come to a gradual point and the other round, and when converted into a parachute in descending in a partially or wholly deflated condition, presents a form substantially like that which one of the sections would present.

Longitudinally extending pockets 4 and open at each end, are formed on each section of the envelop adjacent each edge thereof by means of strips of suitable material secured thereto by lines of stitches 6 and these pockets receive stiffening bars 7 which are removable therefrom.

Against the inner faces of the sections of the envelop are placed transversely extending flexible strips 8. which are shorter than the transverse width of the sections. the strips of the lower section being shorter than those of the upper section, ,and against the outer faces of the sections of the 'envelop are placed longitudinally extending flexible strips 9. The transverse and longitudinal strips are secured together by screws 10 extending through the longitudinal strips. the envelop and the transverse strips. and their threaded ends engaging threaded sockets in plates 11 secured to the longitudinal strips. By these strips and through the arrangement thereof. the envelop is given stability when afloat and is automatically converted into a parachute when afloat and descending in a partially or wholly deflated condition. and is thereby prevented from wholly collapsing and descending too rapidly.

The envelop is inflated through a tube 12 new, on an enlarged scale. of the means l and deflated through an opening 13 controlled by a hinged valve 14 which is automatically closed by a spring 15. To prevent over strain of the envelop, the alve 14 is adapted to be automatically opened by the. expansion of said envelop to a predetermined degree. through the medium of a cable 16, which passes over a pulley wheel 17 in a block 18 suspended from the valve, one end of the cable being secured to a transverse rib of the lower section of the envelop and the other end to a frame 19 secured to a transverse rib of the upper section of the envelop. The valve 14 is also adapted to be manually opened through the medium of a iable, 20, which extends over a pulley wheel 21 in the block 18 one end of the cable being secured to the frame 19 and the other end extending to the car of the airship.

The degree. of expansion of the envelop is positively limited by means of linked foldable rods 22 and 23 connecting the strips of the upper section of the envelop with the strips of the lower section thereof. the ends of the links being connected to the strips by means of eyes on their ends engaging eyes of screws 24- secured in the strips. These linked rods are automatically opened by the separation of the sections of the envelop when it is expanded and said rods are automatically folded by springs 25 which are placed under tension by the opening of the rods, the springs being connectedat one end to the rods and at the other end to the transverse strips at one sideof the connection of the rods thereto. The sections of the envelop are automatically drawn together, as it becomes deflated by means of springs 26 which are placed under tension by the separation of the sections of the envelop when it is expanded, the upper ends of said springs being connected to eyes of screws 27 secured in the strips of the upper section of the envelop and lower ends of said springs being connected to eyes of screws 28 secured in the strips of the lower section of the envelop.

When it is desired to place the envelop in condition for transportation, it is fully collapsed, the bars 7 are pulled outof their pockets, the longitudinal strips are removed and the envelop is then rolled up lengthwise.

I claim:

1. In a gas envelop for airships, upper and lower concavo convex flexible sections connected together. each section having transverse strips secured thereto, longitudinal strips and means removably securing the longitudinal strips of each section thereto, the ends of the transverse strips of the upper section being spaced from the ends of the transverse strips of the lower section and the lower section and its strips thereby being adapted to be collapsed into the upper sec tion, substantially as described.

2. In a gas envelop for airships, upper and lower concavo convex flexible sections connected together, each section having trai'isverse flexible strips secured thereto, longitudinal flexible strips and means removably securing the longitudinal strips of each section thereto, the ends of the transverse strips of the upper section being spaced from the ends of the transverse strips of the lower section and the lower section and its strips thereby being adapted to be collapsed into the upper section, substantially as described.

3. In a gas envelop for airships, upper and lower concavo convex flexible sections connected together, each section having t'ansvcrse and longitudinal flexible strips secured thereto, the ends of the transverse strips of the upper section being spaced from the ends of the transverse strips of the lower section and the lower section and its strips thereby being adapted to be collapsed into the upper section, substantially as described.

4. In a gas envelop for airships, upper and lower concavo convex flexible sections connected together, each section having transverse flexible strips secured to the interior surface thereof, longitudinal flexible strips secured to the exterior of each section, the ends of the transverse strips of the upper section being spaced from the ends of the transverse strips of the lower section and the lower section and its strips thereby being adapted to be collapsed into the upper section, substantially as described.

5. In a gas envelop for airships, upper and lower concavo convex flexible sections connected together, each section having transverse flexible strips secured to the interior surface thereof, longitudinal flexible strips on the exterior of each section, means ren'lovably securing the longitudinal strips of each section thereto, the ends of the transverse strips of the upper section being spaced from the ends of the transverse strips of the lower section and the lower section and its strips thereby being adapted to be collapsed into the upper section, substantially as described.

6. In a gas envelop for airships, upper and lower concavo convex flexible sections connected together, each section having transverse strips secured to the interior surface thereof, longitudinal strips secured to the exterior of each section, the ends of the transverse strips of the. upper section being spaced from the ends of the transverse strips of. the lower section and the lower section and its strips thereby being adapted to bo collapsed into the upper section, substan tially as described.

7. In a gas envelop for airships. upper and lower concavo convex flexible sections connected together. each section having lateral longitudinal pockets, bars therein and transverse and longitudinal flexible strips, In testimony whereof I have si need my the ends of the transverse strips of the upper name in the presence of two subscriE section being spaced from the ends of the nesses. transverse strips of the lower section and the 5 lower section and its strips thereby being; Witnesses:

adapted to be collapsed into the upper sec- JOHN M. ABRAMS, tion, substantially as described. GUNNAR ENGSTRAND.

ing wit- I JOHN C. SCHLEIGHER. 

